Covid-19: Only a third of Hong Kong’s quarantine tracking bracelets are working, government admits

Many travellers told to self-isolate have complained they never received the SMS message to initiate a smartphone app connected to the wristbands. Chief information officer apologises and says staff will work out kinks in the system. — SCMP

Only a third of quarantined new arrivals could activate the wristbands designed to keep tabs on their whereabouts in Hong Kong, the government admitted on Friday, raising doubts over the efficacy of the home-isolation system intended to stem the tide of imported coronavirus infections.

Victor Lam Wai-kiu, the government’s chief information officer, revealed that of the about 6,000 wristbands given out since quarantine measures were extended to cover all travellers from overseas, more than 2,000 had been activated by the end of Thursday.